diff --git a/sys/net/if_tap.c b/sys/net/if_tap.c
index 201f9761350e..7052fea5d13a 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_tap.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_tap.c
@@ -213,14 +213,10 @@ tap_destroy(struct tap_softc *tp)
 {
 	struct ifnet *ifp = tp->tap_ifp;
 
-	/* Unlocked read. */
-	KASSERT(!(tp->tap_flags & TAP_OPEN),
-		("%s flags is out of sync", ifp->if_xname));
-
 	CURVNET_SET(ifp->if_vnet);
+	destroy_dev(tp->tap_dev);
 	seldrain(&tp->tap_rsel);
 	knlist_destroy(&tp->tap_rsel.si_note);
-	destroy_dev(tp->tap_dev);
 	ether_ifdetach(ifp);
 	if_free(ifp);
 
diff --git a/sys/net/if_tapvar.h b/sys/net/if_tapvar.h
index 21bac5054d00..fb1c39a57b90 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_tapvar.h
+++ b/sys/net/if_tapvar.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ struct tap_softc {
 	SLIST_ENTRY(tap_softc)	tap_next;	/* next device in chain      */
 	struct cdev *tap_dev;
 	struct mtx	 tap_mtx;		/* per-softc mutex */
+	struct cv	 tap_cv;		/* protect ref'd dev destroy */ 
 };
 
 #endif /* !_NET_IF_TAPVAR_H_ */